Singular
by Lady Aquinas
Summary: One singular moment during Rivers time in the Academy.


The sounds of activity around her bit sharply into her mind making her wince. Too many noises, too many voices. The bright light of the lab burned her eyes which had been forced open by mechanical pegs. She would have thrashed if her body hadn't been secured by various clasps and metal belts. Her position in the centre of the room might have afforded her a prime view of its inhabitants and layout, but her head was secured also by a large metal band that rubbed against the freshly shaved skin on her scalp. She didn't know how long she had been there. Her memories were a hazy amalgamation of past events, halucinations and visions of things she had no knowledge of. Occassionaly she heard her name being spoken, but the voice who spoke it was unknown to her. She felt the sting of a needle being injected into the soft skin of her upper thigh and within minutes her eyes rolled up into her head and she let the darkness pull her under.

Her first waking thought was of her mother. Strange it was, that she should think of a woman that no longer meant anything to her. The word mother itself confused her. What did it mean? What was the value of it? She did not know. A face moved in front of hers, temporarily blocking out the harsh light above.

'She's awake' the face said to a shadow in the room.

'Good' the shadow replied, the voice masculine and cold.

The face looked down at her impassively, his eyes moving to the band across her forehead.

'We'll need to see to these burns before they become infected' he said again to the shadow.

'Do it' said the shadow. 'There must be no defect on the end product'.

The raw wounds on her scalp hissed as the band was released and the air made contact with them. With the restriction removed she was able to tilt her head to the side. She wanted to see the shadow, see if his features matched his cold voice. He stood silent and watchful on the far side of the room. She saw his fear clearly, and it was in stark contrast to his confident body language. He held himself as a man who knew his own value, straight and defiantly. But his face, oh his face was unable to hide the honesty of his emotions. He was afraid of her.

'You should be afraid of me' she told him, her voice soft and childlike.

His eyes widened and the colour drained out of his face.

'The girl will kill you. You have taught her well and she will thank you for it' she continued.

'What you have done is burned into her memory like a brand. She will always remember it. She will always remember you. You should not have let her see, because know she sees everything'.

'I'm not afraid of you River' said another voice behind her. She turned her head towards the sound and her eyes met those of a man she had not seen before, yet who she sensed she knew.

'Afterall' he continued smoothly as he moved to stand directly beside her, 'I made you'.

She looked up into his handsome face and she saw the hollowness behind his eyes.

'No one home' she whishpered to herself.

The stranger smiled cruelly at her.

'You belong to me now River. I have taken from you those very things that make you weak and in their place I have given you strength and power. You should consider yourself a very lucky girl. Perhaps the luckiest in the verse'

He moved his hand up to stroke her cheek and she noticed that it was covered in a sleek blue surgical glove. She shivered and moved her face away from it.

A fog filtered through her brain and the sounds around her dulled until the silence was deafening. Images cascaded before her eyes and her heartbeat accelerated. People, places, memories flashed by at the speed of light and a soft moan escaped her lips as she tried to make sense of what she was seeing. Yet even as her accelerating pulse drew the attention of those around her, the images faded away and she was left with only one. Her maker. He knelt before her, his eyes raised up to her face. Both hands clasped to his stomach, blood seeping out between his blue gloved fingers. 'River' he whimpered to her.

She watched the scene unfold before her, knowing yet not knowing what was about to happen. She saw that her mirror image held a large blade in her right hand and that it's tip was covered in the crimson blood of the man before her. The woman in her vision turned her head towards her as if she sensed that she was being watched.

'Two by two, hands of blue' she said to her before turning back to face the man on his knees.

Without a pause or hesitation she saw herself raise the blade up above her right shoulder and bring it down and across in one deadly stroke.

In an instant her mind returned to the room and the man next to her. She knew.

Raising her eyes to look into his, she smiled gently up at him.

'I know you' she said softly the smile never leaving her lips.

She saw doubt flare in his eyes.

'I have seen your death and it pleased me'.

He stared into her eyes, and by some sense she did not understand, she knew that his heart now beat faster and that he was now truly afraid.

She laughed, a sound filled with childlike wonder and joy.

'She will kill you Mr Hands of Blue'.

She saw a blur of blue movement before his fist came into contact with her face and then her laughter died. 


End file.
